The Lighting Doctor
Exterior Lighting Techniques
To most homeowners, outdoor lighting means a pair of decorative wall sconces by the front door, a few lights along the walkway and perhaps floodlights for security. Exterior lighting can do much more…
How to Choose the Right Reading Light
Whether you're reading in bed or lounging in your Lay-Z-Boy, it’s important to have a good reading light. I know many of you are reading off of your tablet or Kindle, but there's still a whole bunch…
Best Practices for Stairwell Lighting
Lighting stairways has always been a bit of a challenge. There are many more choices to make today than there used to be. This is a good thing. Which one is the right one for you, though, is the real…
Recessed Fixtures: The Hole Dilemma
Recessed fixtures have become a standard part of home interiors. Since the 1990s, people have been stuck with what I call the "contractor’s special," which is a grid of 6-inch-diameter downlights per…
Clear or Frosted Light Bulb?
How do you know when to use a clear bulb or frosted bulb?
There are no hard and fast rules, but luckily you’ve asked somebody who has strong opinions.
First off, just to be confusing, light bulbs…
How to Light an Open Concept Dining Room
Rethinking How We Light Dining Rooms
When I was growing up, the dining room was reserved strictly for company. As a family, we always ate in the kitchen. We rarely ventured into the dining room — it…
Shelf Awareness
Q. What is the best way to light shelving?
A. First off, you have to think about how translucent or opaque the objects are that you’re trying to illuminate. Solid items, like chinaware and books,…